130 races later, Tyler Ankrum snaps winless streak in Rockingham Truck race

McAnally-Hilgemann Racing’s Tyler Ankrum is as soon as once more a NASCAR Truck Sequence winner. For the primary time since July, 2019, the Truck Sequence common has returned to Victory Lane, and it wasn’t simple, falling a lap down early in NASCAR’s return to Rockingham. However he by no means gave up, stretching the gasoline longer than anybody round him in the course of the closing run.

Ending a six-year winless streak after 130 races means Ankrum now holds the report for the longest winless streak ever damaged within the historical past of the NASCAR Truck Sequence.

“I am unable to thank these guys sufficient for the best way this present day began and going a lap down and (my crew chief) making the pit name to get the observe place again,” mentioned Ankrum, who struggled to search out the winner’s circle. “Simply saving gasoline. I knew we had been 5 quick and I used to be simply hoping I saved sufficient and we did.”

Speaking about how he was in a position to save gasoline, Ankrum continued: “I do know being 5 or 6 laps quick is like six miles, so that you simply have to have the ability to surrender every thing. I simply discovered one thing there the place I used to be lifting about 60% down the straightaway, however I used to be in a position to draft off of [Matt] Crafton and a pair different guys and I used to be in a position to save that method. It is simply surreal. I really feel like that is just about the way it went down at Kentucky in 2019. However right here we are actually.”

Simply sufficient within the tank

It was remarkably spectacular for Ankrum to make it as drivers who had pitted later than him nonetheless ran out of gasoline. Corey Heim, who has discovered methods to lose races in probably the most distinctive methods early on this 2025 season, was firmly in management for a lot of the closing run. Nonetheless, together with his final cease approaching Lap 94, he had no probability of constructing it. With 30 laps to go, he relinquished the race lead and dove to the pits.

Ankrum’s closing cease got here on Lap 112. Andres Perez was on the identical technique however did not make it. Entrance Row Motorsports teammates Chandler Smith and Layne Riggs each pitted seven laps later than Ankrum, however shockingly, neither may go the space. Pitting from second and third, it allowed Ankrum to drag out to an enormous lead, permitting him to cruise on the ultimate two laps of the race.

On the checkered flag, Jake Garcia was second, Daniel Hemric third, Rajah Caruth fourth, and Grant Enfinger fifth. Kaden Honeycutt, Jack Wooden, Heim, and Connor Mosack rounded out the highest ten.

The race was additionally slowed by two purple flags. One for wall repairs following a crash involving Ty Majeski, and the opposite for cleanup observe a significant three-truck incident with Stewart Friesen. Afterwards, a dejected Friesen questioned if he even needed to proceed racing on the Truck degree. 

Photographs from Rockingham – Race